Difference between revisions of "Francois Swart"

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Possessed of a superbly resonant voice, he trained under [[Elizabeth Sneddon]] at the Department of Speech and Drama at the [[University of Natal]]
 
Possessed of a superbly resonant voice, he trained under [[Elizabeth Sneddon]] at the Department of Speech and Drama at the [[University of Natal]]
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He died of cancer at the age of fifty-six in January 1994.
 
He died of cancer at the age of fifty-six in January 1994.
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=== As actor ===
 
=== As actor ===
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He starred in the [[PACT]] production ''[[Hamlet]]'' which was staged at the [[Civic Theatre]] in 1964. It was directed by [[Margaret Inglis]] and also starred [[Reinet Maasdorp]], [[Joan Blake]] and [[Joe Stewardson]] in 1964.
 
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Was cast as a young Germanicus in the 19** [[NTO]] production of [[N.P. van Wyk Louw]]’s epic tragedy. Other major roles for [[NTO]] and [[PACT]] include **, **,
 
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He starred in [[Leonard Schach]]’s production of Shaw’s ''[[Heartbreak House]]'' for [[PACT]] at the [[Alexander Theatre]] in 1967. It also starred [[Siegfried Mynhardt]], [[Alec Bell]], [[Elizabeth Meyer]], [[Kerry Jordan]], [[Joan Blake]], [[Frank Lazarus]] and [[Maggie Soboil]].
 
  
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He played the Cardinal in ''[[Die Hamer van die Hekse]]'' (1975).
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Roles include:  "Germanicus" in ''[[Germanicus]]'' ([[NTO]], 1958), ''[[Something New]]'' (1961), ''[[Lady Barker's Last Appearance]]'' ([[Cockpit Players]], 1961), ''[[Die Skuld van Oedipus]]'' ([[PACT]], 1963), "Hamlet" in ''[[Hamlet]]'' ([[PACT]], 1964), "Monsieur Robert' in ''[[Dokter teen Wil en Dank]]'' ([[PACT]], 1966), ''[[Heartbreak House]]'' ([[PACT]], 1967), "the Cardinal" in ''[[Die Hamer van die Hekse]]'' ([[PACT]], 1975).
  
 
=== As director ===
 
=== As director ===
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1966: ''[[The Beaux Stratagem]]'' ([[PACT]])  
 
1966: ''[[The Beaux Stratagem]]'' ([[PACT]])  
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 +
1966: ''[[Dokter teen Wil en Dank]]'' ([[PACT]])
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1968:  ''[[Die Dans van die Reier]]'' ([[PACT]])
  
 
1969: ''[[Die Drie Van Der Walts]]'' ([[PACT]])  
 
1969: ''[[Die Drie Van Der Walts]]'' ([[PACT]])  
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1971: ''[[Siener in die Suburbs]]'' ([[PACT]])  
 
1971: ''[[Siener in die Suburbs]]'' ([[PACT]])  
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 +
1971:  ''[[Die Hand Vol Vere]]'' ([[PACT]])
  
 
1972:  ''[[Ampie Oppie Diekens]]'' ([[PACT]])  
 
1972:  ''[[Ampie Oppie Diekens]]'' ([[PACT]])  
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 +
1972: ''[[Marching Song]]'' ([[PACT]])
  
 
1973: ''[[Tartuffe]]'' ([[PACT]])  
 
1973: ''[[Tartuffe]]'' ([[PACT]])  
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 +
1973: ''[[Toiings]]'' ([[PACT]])
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 +
1973: ''[[Die Verhoor]]'' ([[PACT]])
  
 
1974: ''[[Theodora]]'' ([[PACT]])  
 
1974: ''[[Theodora]]'' ([[PACT]])  
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1976: ''[['n Seder val in Waterkloof]]'' ([[PACT]])  
 
1976: ''[['n Seder val in Waterkloof]]'' ([[PACT]])  
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 +
1976: ''[[Intimate Relations]]'' ([[PACT]])
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 +
1976: ''[[Misdaad op Bokeiland]]'' ([[PACT]])
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1976: ''[['n Man met Vakansie]]'' ([[PACT]])
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1976: ''[[The Rape of the Belt]]'' ([[PACT]])
  
 
1977: ''[[Anastasia]]'' ([[PACT]])  
 
1977: ''[[Anastasia]]'' ([[PACT]])  
  
 
1977:  ''[[Butley]]'' ([[PACT]])  
 
1977:  ''[[Butley]]'' ([[PACT]])  
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1978: ''[[A Tribute to Lili Lamont]]'' ([[PACT]])
  
 
1979: ''[[Ross]]'' ([[PACT]])
 
1979: ''[[Ross]]'' ([[PACT]])
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1980: ''[[Die Drie Van Der Walts]]'' ([[PACT]])  
 
1980: ''[[Die Drie Van Der Walts]]'' ([[PACT]])  
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1980:  ''[[Al Om Die Ander...?]]'' ([[PACT]])
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1980: ''[[Die Verhoor]]'' ([[PACT]])
  
 
1981: ''[[Germanicus]]'' ([[PACT]])
 
1981: ''[[Germanicus]]'' ([[PACT]])
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1982: ''[[Savages]]'' ([[PACT]])  
 
1982: ''[[Savages]]'' ([[PACT]])  
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1983:  ''[[Electra]]'' ([[Rhodes University Drama Department]])
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1984: ''[[Virtue in Danger]]'' ([[Rhodes University Drama Department]])
  
 
1985: ''[[Don Juan onder die Boere]]'' ([[PACOFS]])
 
1985: ''[[Don Juan onder die Boere]]'' ([[PACOFS]])
  
 
1985: ''[[Bloedbruilof]]'' ([[PACOFS]])
 
1985: ''[[Bloedbruilof]]'' ([[PACOFS]])
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1986:  ''[[Die Ketter]]'' ([[PACT]])
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1986:  ''[[Die Huigelaar]]'' ([[PACT]])
  
 
1986: ''[[Don Juan onder die Boere]]'' ([[PACT]])
 
1986: ''[[Don Juan onder die Boere]]'' ([[PACT]])
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 +
1986: ''[[Die Laaste Sondag]]'' ([[PACT]])
  
 
1986/1987: ''[[Look Back in Anger]]'' ([[PACT]])  
 
1986/1987: ''[[Look Back in Anger]]'' ([[PACT]])  
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1991: ''[[Brigadoon]]'' ([[Pretoria State Theatre]])
 
1991: ''[[Brigadoon]]'' ([[Pretoria State Theatre]])
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1991: ''[[Jan en die Boontjierank]]'' ([[PACT]])
  
 
1992: ''[[Death and the King’s Horseman]]'' ([[PACT]])
 
1992: ''[[Death and the King’s Horseman]]'' ([[PACT]])
  
 
1992: ''[[Gigi]]'' ([[PACT]])
 
1992: ''[[Gigi]]'' ([[PACT]])
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1992: ''[[Die Aand van die Fynproewer]]'' ([[PACT]])
  
 
1993: ''[[A Delicate Balance]]'' ([[PACT]])
 
1993: ''[[A Delicate Balance]]'' ([[PACT]])
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Primarily a stage director, Swart made only two essays into film directing, starting out with a filmed version of his iconic production of ''[[Siener in die Suburbs]]'' in 1973 and followed by ''[[Skadu's van Gister]]'' (1974).
 
Primarily a stage director, Swart made only two essays into film directing, starting out with a filmed version of his iconic production of ''[[Siener in die Suburbs]]'' in 1973 and followed by ''[[Skadu's van Gister]]'' (1974).
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'''Translator'''
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He translated ''[[Hotel Paradiso]]'' into Afrikaans.
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With Tjaart Potgieter, he translated ''[[Le Tartuffe, ou l'Imposteur]]'' into Afrikaans by Francois Swart, titled ''[[Die Huigelaar]]''.
  
 
==Awards==
 
==Awards==

Revision as of 15:57, 2 August 2025

Francois Swart (1938-1994) was a highly regarded actor and director.

His first name sometimes written in the French style as François Swart.

Biography

Possessed of a superbly resonant voice, he trained under Elizabeth Sneddon at the Department of Speech and Drama at the University of Natal

He died of cancer at the age of fifty-six in January 1994.

Career

Swart started out as an actor, but gradually turned to directing and developed into one of the finest directors the country has ever seen. Probably his period of most impact was his stint as Artistic Director at PACT between 1972 and 1978, when he not only put on marvellous productions of local and international plays, but specifically guided an inspired PACT Afrikaans company and the budding new playwrights of the time (e.g. Bartho Smit, André P. Brink Chris Barnard, P.G. du Plessis) to what is still considered by many to be the first golden age of Afrikaans theatre.

He ended his career with a short stint as Professor of Drama at Rhodes University (198*-198*), a time during which he trained and mentored a number of leading performers and authors, notably playwrights Reza de Wet and Deon Opperman.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

As actor

Roles include: "Germanicus" in Germanicus (NTO, 1958), Something New (1961), Lady Barker's Last Appearance (Cockpit Players, 1961), Die Skuld van Oedipus (PACT, 1963), "Hamlet" in Hamlet (PACT, 1964), "Monsieur Robert' in Dokter teen Wil en Dank (PACT, 1966), Heartbreak House (PACT, 1967), "the Cardinal" in Die Hamer van die Hekse (PACT, 1975).

As director

Stage director

1966: Die Italiaanse Strooihoed (PACT)

1966: The Beaux Stratagem (PACT)

1966: Dokter teen Wil en Dank (PACT)

1968: Die Dans van die Reier (PACT)

1969: Die Drie Van Der Walts (PACT)

1970: King John (PACT)

1970: Ampie (PACT)

1970: A Winter Vacation (PACT)

1971: Siener in die Suburbs (PACT)

1971: Die Hand Vol Vere (PACT)

1972: Ampie Oppie Diekens (PACT)

1972: Marching Song (PACT)

1973: Tartuffe (PACT)

1973: Toiings (PACT)

1973: Die Verhoor (PACT)

1974: Theodora (PACT)

1974: Plaston: DNS-Kind (PACT)

1974: Hedda Gabler in Afrikaans (PACT)

1975: 'n Seder val in Waterkloof (PACT)

1975: Othello in Afrikaans (PACT)

1976: 'n Seder val in Waterkloof (PACT)

1976: Intimate Relations (PACT)

1976: Misdaad op Bokeiland (PACT)

1976: 'n Man met Vakansie (PACT)

1976: The Rape of the Belt (PACT)

1977: Anastasia (PACT)

1977: Butley (PACT)

1978: A Tribute to Lili Lamont (PACT)

1979: Ross (PACT)

1979: Windmills of the Mind (PACT)

1979: Die Drie Van Der Walts (PACT)

1979: Becket of die Eer van God (PACT)

198?: Die Vasvat van 'n Feeks

1980: Die Drie Van Der Walts (PACT)

1980: Al Om Die Ander...? (PACT)

1980: Die Verhoor (PACT)

1981: Germanicus (PACT)

1981: Filumena (PACT)

1982: Die Leeu in die Winter (PACT)

1982: Monday After the Miracle (PACT)

1982: Savages (PACT)

1983: Electra (Rhodes University Drama Department)

1984: Virtue in Danger (Rhodes University Drama Department)

1985: Don Juan onder die Boere (PACOFS)

1985: Bloedbruilof (PACOFS)

1986: Die Ketter (PACT)

1986: Die Huigelaar (PACT)

1986: Don Juan onder die Boere (PACT)

1986: Die Laaste Sondag (PACT)

1986/1987: Look Back in Anger (PACT)

1987: Hamlet in Afrikaans (PACT)

1987: Mary Stuart (PACT)

1989: As You Like It (PACT)

1989: Camelot (PACT with PACOFS and NAPAC)

1989: My Father's House (PACT)

1990: Koning Lear (PACT)

1990: My Fair Lady (PACT with PACOFS and NAPAC)

1991: Brigadoon (Pretoria State Theatre)

1991: Jan en die Boontjierank (PACT)

1992: Death and the King’s Horseman (PACT)

1992: Gigi (PACT)

1992: Die Aand van die Fynproewer (PACT)

1993: A Delicate Balance (PACT)

Film director

Primarily a stage director, Swart made only two essays into film directing, starting out with a filmed version of his iconic production of Siener in die Suburbs in 1973 and followed by Skadu's van Gister (1974).

Translator

He translated Hotel Paradiso into Afrikaans.

With Tjaart Potgieter, he translated Le Tartuffe, ou l'Imposteur into Afrikaans by Francois Swart, titled Die Huigelaar.

Awards

He won best director for his direction of P.G. du Plessis’s Siener in die Suburbs starring Marius Weyers and Sandra Prinsloo which was staged by PACT in 1971

In 1971, he was the first recipient of the Breytenbach Epathlon, a trophy for the best South African director on the Pretoria and Johannesburg stages.

Sources

Tucker, 1997.

Various entries in the NELM catalogue.

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4820504/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2141933/?ref_=nm_knf_t_1

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